T.I. Confirms New Moniker, Readies Tenth Album

In an interview with Billboard, the rapper explains that when he first got signed to LaFace that he was forced to change it to T.I. out of respect for then label mate, Q-Tip. “For as long as I’ve answered to anything, I’ve answered to Tip,” he says.

When asked about the status of his tenth album The Dime Trap, Tip says the project “will be completely dedicated to my day one fans.” He adds that fans can also expect trap music. “I wanted to speak for people who couldn’t necessarily speak for themselves, who lived in undeserved areas of society and knew something’s going on but didn’t know how to articulate it,” he says. “Trap music is the perfect instrument for me to do so.”

While the album isn’t due out until November, you can download his latest free project, Da’ Nic EP now.